A major political controversy erupted in Uttar Pradesh after a viral video allegedly showed state Congress chief Ajay Rai making objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The incident triggered sharp reactions from leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who condemned the alleged comments as indecent and unparliamentary, while Rai denied making the remarks and claimed that the circulating clip had been generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence technology.
The controversy began after Ajay Rai travelled to Mahoba to meet the family of a NEET aspirant who was allegedly kidnapped, illegally confined for nearly three weeks and subjected to torture and sexual assault before being rescued by police authorities.
During his visit, Rai criticised both the BJP-led Central government and the Uttar Pradesh state government, accusing them of failing to adequately address public grievances and law-and-order concerns. He also demanded compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the survivor and called for strict legal action against those accused in the case.
However, shortly afterwards, a video clip began circulating widely on social media platforms. The viral footage allegedly showed Rai using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and making objectionable remarks directed at Mahoba Superintendent of Police Shashank Singh.
According to reports, the alleged comments were made while Rai was leaving the victim’s residence in a vehicle after local Congress workers complained to him about what they described as police intimidation and pressure.
The controversy quickly escalated because it comes only months before Uttar Pradesh heads into Assembly elections next year, a politically crucial contest that is expected to become one of the most closely watched electoral battles in India.
Reacting strongly to the viral video, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised Rai and accused the Congress party of displaying what he described as political and moral decline.
In a post written in Hindi on social media, Adityanath stated that the alleged remarks against Prime Minister Modi reflected the “political depravity” of the Congress. He described the comments as indecent, unacceptable and beyond parliamentary decorum.
The Chief Minister further attacked the Congress leadership by saying that the party had reached a stage of desperation, frustration and mental bankruptcy, adding that it was no longer even in a position deserving forgiveness from the people of the country.
BJP MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi also criticised the Congress, arguing that the alleged remarks reflected a lack of political civility and respect in public discourse.
Meanwhile, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also condemned Rai over the controversy. Malviya pointed out that Prime Minister Modi had publicly wished Ajay Rai a speedy recovery only days earlier when the Congress leader had been hospitalised due to health issues.
Sharing the viral clip on social media, Amit Malviya remarked that despite Prime Minister Modi expressing concern and courtesy toward Rai during his illness, the Congress leader had now allegedly responded with indecent language against the Prime Minister. Malviya claimed the episode reflected the style of politics practised by the Congress.
Earlier this month, Ajay Rai had been admitted to a hospital in Lucknow after reportedly fainting during a public programme because of low sodium levels. At that time, Prime Minister Modi had publicly wished him a quick recovery and expressed concern after learning about his health condition.
Responding to the controversy, Ajay Rai firmly denied making any objectionable remarks against Narendra Modi. Speaking to India Today’s sister channel Aaj Tak, Rai claimed that the viral clip was AI-generated and had been manipulated to falsely portray him making abusive comments.
He reiterated that his purpose in travelling to Mahoba was solely to meet the survivor and her family and to raise concerns regarding the alleged kidnapping and assault case involving the NEET aspirant.
Ajay Rai has previously contested parliamentary elections against Narendra Modi from Varanasi. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rai lost to Modi by a margin of more than 1.5 lakh votes. He had also challenged the Prime Minister from the same constituency in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections but was defeated on both occasions.
The controversy surrounding the viral video has now added fresh political tension in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, with both the BJP and Congress using the issue to intensify attacks against each other.
